Monday, 25 April 2011

THE ZAMBIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS ANGERED RURAL TEACHERS ON THE COPPERBELT PROVINCE BY FAILING TO PAY THEM THEIR RURAL HARDSHIP ALLOWANCES SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR

THE ZAMBIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS ANGERED RURAL TEACHERS ON THE COPPERBELT PROVINCE BY FAILING TO PAY THEM THEIR RURAL HARDSHIP ALLOWANCES SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR.
THE TEACHERS WHO ARE ANGRY ARE FROM MPONGWE, KAFULAFUTA AND MASAITI AREAS.
SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY FOR FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION, THE TEACHERS HAVE SINCE APPEALED TO PRESIDENT BANDA TO INTERVENE IN THE MATTER BEFORE THEY DOWN TOOLS.
SOME OF THE TEACHERS TALKED TO BY RADIO PHOENIX SAY EDUCATION MINISTER DORA SILIYA IS SEEMINGLY NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE OF RURAL HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE BUT KEEPS ON MAKING POLITICAL RHETORIC AND UTTERANCES WHICH ARE NOT HELPING THE TEACHERS IN RURAL ZAMBIA.
THE TEACHERS POINTED OUT THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE ALLOWANCES SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR DESPITE MAKING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO RELEVANT AUTHORITIES.
THEY HAVE THREATENED THAT IF THE MATTER IS NOT ADDRESSED, EDUCATION MINISTER DORA SILIYA SHOULD BRACE HERSELF WITH GO SLOWS FROM THE TEACHERS IN THE PROVINCE WHO CAN NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE DUE TO THE OTHER VARIOUS ECONOMIC HARDSHIP BEING ENCOUNTERED.
BUT EDUCATION PERMANENT SECRETARY ANDREW PHIRI HAS CLARIFIED THE MATTER BY STATING THAT THERE IS NO SUCH A SITUATION HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT AS ALMOST ALL THE TEACHERS ARE GETTING PAID EXCEPT FOR A FEW WHO ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE STILL BEING CODED.
MR. PHIRI SAYS HIS MINISTRY IS WORKING OUT MODALITIES TO CODE AREAS AS RURAL AND REMOTE SO THAT SPECIFIC NEEDS CAN BE ATTENDED TO.